The Hollywoodbets Dolphins are a cricket team representing the KwaZulu-Natal (Coastal) province in South Africa. They take part in the CSA 4-Day Series first-class competition, the Momentum One-Day Cup and the Mzansi Super League T20 competition. The team's home venues are

Kingsmead Cricket Ground Kingsmead is a cricket ground in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Its stated capacity is 25,000, although grass terracing makes up part of the viewing area. The 'end names' are the Umgeni End (north) and the Old Fort Road End (south). It is t ...

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

and the Pietermaritzburg Oval in Pietermaritzburg.

History

The Dolphins were originally created as an entirely professional franchise team after the South African domestic format was restructured in 2004-05. Up until then eleven provincial teams, with various small changes, had competed in the Currie Cup since 1893-94. Natal (as the province was then called) was one of the most successful teams in the 20th century provincial era with twenty title wins. In 1998-99, Natal became KwaZulu-Natal to reflect the political changes that were taking place in the country. The team won one more final title in 2001-02. In 2004-05, the eleven provincial teams were rationalised into six new, entirely professional franchises, in all three formats. The Dolphins were the only squad that did not merge several other provincial teams to form the new side. In the Franchise-era, the Dolphins won only one outright title, with two others being shared wins. In 2020, domestic cricket in South Africa was restructured and the six former franchise teams were dropped. In its place was a return to the more traditional two-division league format, with a total of fifteen professional teams competing due to the previously semi-professional provincial cricket being subsumed (effectively becoming Division 2). The former name of KwaZulu-Natal (Coastal) could have returned during this time ( KwaZulu-Natal (Inland) was granted first class provincial status in 2009), however the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union decided to maintain the brand recognition from the franchise era, with the new team continuing to be called the Dolphins.

Playing kit

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins home kit consists of black shirts and black trousers with green trim during limited overs competitions. The away strip for limited overs competitions is purple shirts and purple trousers with yellow trim.

Honours

* CSA 4-Day Series (1) – 2020-21 ; shared (2) – 2004–05, 2005–06 * Momentum One Day Cup Winners (1) - 2019-20 ; shared (1) 2017/18 (shared with Warriors) *Ram Slam T20 Challenge Winners 2013/14 The Hollywoodbets Dolphins finished as runners-up in the 2017/18 Ram Slam T20 Challenge, after losing to the Multiply Titans in the final at Centurion. The Hollywoodbets Dolphins reached the final of the 2017/18 Momentum One Day Cup after beating the

Cape Cobras The Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras are a franchise cricket team representing the Western Province, Boland, and South Western Districts areas in South African domestic cricket. The team's home venues are Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, Boland ...

in the semi-final. The Dolphins played the

Warriors A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...

in the final at Kingsmead, however the match was abandoned halfway through the Dolphins first innings due to persistent rain. The rain continued on the reserve day forcing the final to be abandoned, and the trophy was shared between the two teams.

Squad

* Bold denotes players with international caps.

Former players

Former Dolphins cricketers include Proteas players

Shaun Pollock Shaun Maclean Pollock OIS (born 16 July 1973) is a South African cricket commentator and former cricketer, who was captain in all formats of the game. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers and allrounders of all time. A genu ...

Jonty Rhodes Jonathan Neil "Jonty" Rhodes (born 27 July 1969) is a South African professional cricket commentator and former Test and One Day International cricketer. He is regarded as one of the greatest fielders of all time and was the first South African ...

, Pat Symcox, Lance Klusener, Andrew Hudson, Errol Stewart,

Dale Benkenstein Dale Martin Benkenstein (born 9 June 1974) is a former South African cricketer who was an all-rounder. He is currently first-team coach at Gloucestershire, having previously held the same role at Hampshire. Early life Benkenstein was born in S ...

Imraan Khan Imraan Khan (born 27 April 1984) is a former South African cricketer who played domestic cricket and captained the Dolphins. He also captained his country at under 19 level. He is currently the head coach of the Hollywoodbets Dolphins. Khan m ...

Morné van Wyk Morné Nico van Wyk (born 20 March 1979) is a South African professional cricketer who has played in 17 One Day Internationals for South Africa. He is also the brother of fellow cricketer Divan van Wyk. Domestic career In October 2018, he was ...

Dane Vilas Dane James Vilas (born 10 June 1985) is a South African cricketer. He was born in Johannesburg, Transvaal. Previously, he played for South Africa's national side and made his Test debut for South Africa against Bangladesh on 30 July 2015. D ...

and

Mthokozisi Shezi Mthokozisi Shezi, born 9 September 1987 in Pietermaritzburg, is a South African cricket umpire and former cricketer who played in the 2006 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka. His first-class and List A cricket has been for KwaZulu-Natal ...

Hashim Amla Hashim Mahomed Amla OIS (born 31 March 1983) is a South African former international cricketer who played for South Africa in all three formats of the game. Amla holds the record for being the fastest ever to score 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 ...

played for the Dolphins for many seasons before moving to the

. Kyle Abbott played for the Dolphins before moving to Hampshire on a Kolpak deal. International players to play for the Dolphins include

Malcolm Marshall Malcolm Denzil Marshall (18 April 1958 – 4 November 1999) was a Barbadian cricketer. Primarily a fast bowler, Marshall is widely regarded as one of the greatest and one of the most accomplished fast bowlers of the modern era in Test cricket ...

, Collis King,

Hartley Alleyne Hartley Leroy Alleyne (born 28 February 1957) is a former Barbadian first-class cricketer: a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast bowler who played for Barbados, Worcestershire, Kent and Natal between 1978–79 and 1989–90. He also playe ...

, Nixon McLean,

Eldine Baptiste Eldine Ashworth Elderfield Baptiste (born 12 March 1960) is an Antiguan former professional cricketer. He played in 10 Test matches – all of which resulted in West Indian victories – and 43 One Day Internationals (ODI) for the West Indies, b ...

, Neil Johnson,

Sanath Jayasuriya Deshabandu Sanath Teran Jayasuriya ( si, සනත් ජයසූරිය, ta, சனத் ஜெயசூர்யா; born 30 June 1969), is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and a captain. He is credited for having revolutionized one-day in ...

Ravi Bopara Ravinder Singh Bopara (born 4 May 1985) is an English cricketer who plays for Sussex County Cricket Club in one day cricket. Originally a top-order batsman, his developing medium pace bowling has made him a batting all rounder in the one day ...

Graham Onions Graham Onions (born 9 September 1982) is an English former cricketer. He played for Durham, Lancashire and England as a right arm fast-medium bowler and a right-hand tail-end batsman. After a successful start to the 2009 cricket season, Onions ...

and

Kevin Pietersen Kevin Peter Pietersen (born 27 June 1980) is a cricket commentator, conservationist, and former England international cricket player. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional off spin bowler who played in all three formats for England betw ...

. Current Proteas cricketers in the Hollywoodbets Dolphins squad include

Keshav Maharaj Keshav Atmanand Maharaj (born 7 February 1990) is a South African professional cricketer who plays for the South Africa national team in Tests, One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket. He is currently the vice-cap ...

, David Miller,

Imran Tahir Mohammad Imran Tahir ( pa, ; born 27 March 1979) is a South African former international cricketer. A spin bowler who predominantly bowls googlies and a right-handed batsman, Tahir played for South Africa in all three forms of cricket, but ...

Andile Phehlukwayo Andile Lucky Phehlukwayo (born 3 March 1996) is a South African professional cricketer. He is a left handed lower order batsman who bowls right-arm fast-medium. He made his international debut for South Africa in September 2016. Early life Pheh ...

, Robert Frylinck,

Vaughn van Jaarsveld Vaughn Bernard van Jaarsveld (born 2 February 1985) is a South African cricketer who plays for the Dolphins as a left-handed batsman and occasional wicket-keeper. He has represented his country at under-nineteen level. In 2007, he signed a t ...

, Khaya Zondo,

Senuran Muthusamy Senuran Muthusamy (born 22 February 1994) is a South African cricketer. He made his international debut for the South Africa cricket team in October 2019. Muthusamy can trace his ancestry to India, with family in Nagapattinam. Domestic career H ...

and

Daryn Dupavillon Daryn Miles Dupavillon (born 15 July 1994) is a South African cricketer who represents KwaZulu-Natal and Pretoria Capitals. He is a right-arm fast bowler who bats right-handed. He made his international debut for South Africa in March 2020. C ...

References